


The Wizzard

by Sashataakheru



Category: Wizzard RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Metal Band, M/M, Touring, late 80s metal, setting a cello on fire
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-08
Updated: 2017-01-08
Packaged: 2018-09-15 18:33:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,202
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9250499
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sashataakheru/pseuds/Sashataakheru
Summary: Roy Wood In A Metal Band AU. Written for the 2017 Snowflake Challenge Day 7: Create-A-Fanwork. Written in about 40mins while listening to Black Sabbath.





	

**Author's Note:**

> [The source of this plot bunny, thankyouverymuch Ozzy.](https://sashataakheru.wordpress.com/2017/01/08/132-ozzy-osbourne-bark-at-the-moon/)

"Hugh!" A fist banged on the door. "Hugh! Five minutes!" 

Another bang. An impatient reply. "I know! Fuck off, Roy! Do you want me to rush her and burn the place down again?" 

Roy sighed. No, that was definitely not an option. Still, even after all these years, the nerves in the pit of his stomach continued to plague him. He knew he'd be fine once he got out there; it wasn't like he was starting out. The roar of the crowd kept getting louder the more gigs they played. He had no idea why they still kept coming back. 

Roy retreated to his own room, deciding a moment of stillness was probably better than nothing. It stopped him thinking about, well. Everything. He closed his eyes, and breathed, just listening to the sounds all around him. 

They might've been in Leicester. Roy had lost track some time ago, and the vodka tonics he'd already had tonight weren't helping him remember. In a lot of ways, though, it had been a strange decade. He thought he'd have got bored of the band already, but somehow, perhaps only God knew how, Wizzard had survived. Reinvented themselves several times over, sure, Roy was never one for being settled. Still, the heavy metal phase they were currently in seemed, well. A bit out of left-field for all those who had forgotten how heavy The Move had been right at the end. Besides, if Bev could tour with Sabbath, then he could play fucking metal. 

There was a brief knock, and Rick entered. Roy knew his movements too well. He turned to face him. 

"We on now?" Roy asked.

"Two minutes. We'd better head up. At least Hugh's ready early for once," Rick said.

Roy almost smiled. "That boy'll be the death of us, I swear."

"Oh, come on, it's just like how it was back in the 60s. Smashing stages and setting things on fire always catches people's attention. And we don't even do it every night. Just be grateful we're still here. Some of us weren't so lucky, eh?" Rick said.

Roy shook his head. "I always felt it would end in tears, but they stopped being my band a long time ago. Still, it's never a good way to go out."

Rick shrugged. "Just bask in the feeling of triumph that we've lasted longer than they did, and made much better records."

"Damn straight we did. Maybe that's why it lasted. We all love the same things. We know what we like playing. I've always tried to make it a democracy, y'know, so that no one feels left out. Maybe we never made millions, but we're still friends," Roy said.

"Yeah, still friends," Rick said.

Aware of the time ticking down to zero, Roy reached for his hand and squeezed it gently. "Couldn't have done it without you."

Rick wrapped an arm around his shoulders. "We make a great team. Come on, we'd better get out there, or they'll yell at us again."

"Some things never change," Roy said, shaking his head, as Rick led them out of the room to find the stage. 

\- 

Hugh smiled as Rick and Roy arrived last. The sound of the crowd was pretty loud already, but the last minute checks distracted Roy from worrying too much about it. Everything changed in that moment in his mind. He could focus on the show and the setlist and doing his job. He took a moment to check his makeup, just to be sure it hadn't smudged. Everything was fine. It was all going to go fine. 

The crowd erupted as they were announced, the stage lights went up, and the show began. 

\- 

Roy never got tired of seeing Hugh's face light up as he set his specially-designed cello on fire. How he still managed to play it, Roy never quite knew. The backing track covered some of it, but still, Hugh played on until the very end, and let it flare one last time as the song came to an end. 

Thankfully, there was nothing above them that could catch alight, and it saved them some vital income from stage damage. Instead, it flared beautifully, the crowd cheered to a deafening extent, and then everything went dark to rapturous applause. 

That was how things went on a good night, and Roy was definitely feeling the vibes tonight. It was something of a mixed audience. There were the usual metalheads at the front and mixed into the crowd, but there were so many others too. Somehow, they didn't mind that all they played was their metal stuff, and a couple of old Move songs. Sometimes the crowds were fickle about the setlist, but not this lot. 

\- 

Roy left the stage exhilarated once they had finally stopped playing three encores later. The adrenalin from the heavy guitar work always seemed to kick him into life, which was half the reason he liked playing it so much. That he made it intricately more difficult than many other bands wasn't part of it, not really. But he did have to concentrate, and getting it right, and feeling his fingers flowing over the strings, and the notes, always felt amazing when it was going right. 

Rick brought him into a hug as they traipsed back to their rooms, chattering away about Hugh's performance and the way the flames had danced for them. Roy smiled. 

\- 

The silence didn't really hit him until 2am. He was still a bit wired from the show, but the silence, and Rick sleeping beside him, helped to calm him down. He lay there in the dark, thinking. 

He looked over at Rick, then. How they were still together, he didn't know. Being in the band together was rough enough; being a couple made it infinitely harder. Perhaps it still wasn't very safe to be out, but HIV had come and left its mark on the band like it had left its mark on so many others. Roy felt the cost of silence wasn't worth it anymore. 

Rick reached for his hand, then, half-roused from his slumber, and shifted beside him. Roy turned to face him, and pulled him close. They were safe, for now. 

"I love you," Roy whispered. 

"Love you, man," Rick murmured, his eyes still closed. 

Roy brought him into his arms, relishing the feel of being close to him. He kissed him softly, ran a hand through his hair. 

Rick half-opened his eyes and grinned. "You need to sleep, yeah? We got an early flight. Turn that brain of yours off, and go to sleep."

"Too tired for a fuck, yeah?" Roy teased. 

Rick batted him away and rolled over. "Well, you ain't getting any with that attitude."

Roy let him go, and rolled over to lie beside him, settling down into the pillows. They weren't quite right, weren't quite how he liked them, and hotel mattresses were never comfortable enough, but somehow, it didn't matter then. He gently moved an arm around him, and closed his eyes. As the sound of Hugh crashing into his own room echoed in to him, he felt the pull into sleep, and gave in. Everything was alright with the world.


End file.
